Dispensing apparatus



Jan. 14,1947. H, L, HAGEN 2,414,375

DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed June 15, 1944 Y sheets-sheet 1 i '1,77 IW I l 75 f2 ML #MW INI/wrok ATTONEYS Jan. 14, 1,947.

H. L. HAGEN` 2,414,375

DISPENS ING APPARATUS Filed June 13, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 im, l

#wd IN1/N702 B Y @am A T TOR/VE YS T Patented Jan. 14, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISPEN SING APPARATUS Harold L. Hagen, Buffalo, N. Y.

Application June 13, 1944, Serial No. 540,165

1 claim. l

This invention relates to a dispensing apparatus for cleaning the goggles of workmen in factories.

For safety it is now the custom for workmen to wear goggles in order to protect their eyes, which goggles require cleaning at intervals for maintaining the same in the most eliicient condition.

Heretofore this L'has been accomplished by individual outiits comprising a plurality of parts which were liable to be scattered and not conveniently available so that the operation of cleaning the goggles when necessary was deferred or neglected, thus reducing the efficiency of the workman and also endangering him while at work,

It is therefore the object of this invention to provide an apparatus for dispensing a cleaning liquid or solution and wiping napkins or towels in the form of a complete unit having all the necessary elements for cleaning and wiping goggles conveniently at hand in one location and thus facilitate the operation of cleaning the goggles and inducing the operator to use the same frequently, thereby improving the sanitary condition as well as increasing the safety of the operator and improving the quality of his work.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front levation of the apparatus ernbodying this invei tion,

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section thereof, on an enlarged scale, taken on line 3 3, Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section, taken on line 4 4, Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section, taken on line 5 5, Fig. 3.

2 detachably connected at its opposite vertical edge with the other side wall I2 by a lock I8. The space within the case is divided by a vertical partition I9 to form a main apparatus chamber 2U between the same and the side wall II extending the full height of the case and adapted to receive the apparatus whereby the goggles to be cleaned are sprayed with a cleaning liquid or solution, a

horizontal partition 2| extending from the Vertical partition to the other side wall l2 and forming between them an upper storage chamber 22 for holding a supply of clean napkins, towels and the like 23 for wiping the goggles after the same have been sprayed with cleaning material, and a lower waste chamber 24 adapted to receive the napkins after the same have been soiled by use. Access to these chambers is afforded from the front side `of the case by opening the door, removal of napkins as required from the storage chamber is effected through an opening 25 in the top of the same, and placing of the used napkins into the waste chamber is eiiected through an opening 26 in the side wall I2. This case may be supported in any suitable manner but preferably by means of keyhole slots 2l formed in the rear wall of the case and adapted to t over headed screws or nails arranged on a suitable stationary part, such as a building wall or post.

The movable section I5 of the bottom is supported at its opposite transverse edges on guideways 28, 29 arranged on the opposing lower parts of the side wall II and the vertical partition so that this bottom section can be slid into and out of the main chamber when the door of the case is open for the purpose of permitting insertion into the apparatus chamber and the removal l therefrom of a vessel 30 which is adapted to hold Fig. 6 is a horizontal section, taken on line 6 6,

Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a section of a satisfactory form of control valve whereby the ow of compressed air for atomizing the cleaning `iluid is controlled.

Fig. 8 is a similar view of a regulating valve whereby the pressure of the air for atomizing the cleaning liquid may be regulated.

In the following description the like reference characters indicate the same parts in the several views of the drawings,

This apparatus includes a case or cabinet which preferably comprises an upright rear wall I0, upright side' walls II, I2 a horizontal top I3, a horizontal bottom having a fixed section Hand aremovablesection I5 arranged side by side, and an upright door IB connected at one of its vertical edges to the side wall l I by hinges I1 and the supply of liquid or solution with which the goggles are to be sprayed. At its inner edge the movable bottom section I5 is also provided with a notch 3l which is adapted to receive the stationary supply pipe 32 whereby compressed air from any suitable available source is conducted into the apparatus chamber for use in atomizing or vaporizing the cleaning liquid used for cleaning goggles.

Adjacent to the hinged edge of the door the same is provided with an operating opening 33 through which access is aorded to the control valve whereby the flow of compressed air ,to the vaporizing nozzle is controlled. In the upper part of the s'ide wall IIl the same is provided with an opening 34 in which is arranged the nozzlewhich mixes the compressed air and the cleaning liquid and delivers the same in the form of :a spray or vapor against the lenses of the goggles which are to be cleaned.

The means whereby the cleaning liquid is vaporized and delivered in the form of a spray against the goggles which are to be cleaned include a pneumatic atomizing device which may be of any suitable type but is preferably constructed as follows:

The numeral 35 represents a spray nozzle which projects horizontally through the opening 3d in the side wall H of the case and provided with a central longitudinal liquid passage 3S extending from the inner to the outer end of this nozzle and an air passage 31 arranged in the nozzle on one side of the liquid passage and terminating short of the inner and outer ends of the same. The outer end of the liquid passage opens directly 4to the outer atmosphere but the outer end of the air passage opens into a cap 38 which forms an atomizing chamber around the outer end of the liquid passage, as shown in Fig. 6. The outer end of the nozzle is arranged outside of the case and its inner end is connected with a supporting `body 39 which is secured by screws 40, or the like, to the inner side of the wall il and provided with a liquid supply passage 4I cornrnunicating with the inner end of the liquid delivery passage 36 of the nozzle and an air supply passage i2 communicating with the inner end of the air delivery passage 31.

When using the apparatus compressed air is discharged forwardly from the cap 38 in the form of an annular stream around the front end of the liquid passage 36, whereby a vacuum is created in the liquid passage 36 and liquid is drawn forwardly through the latter and becomes mixed therewith to form a spray. This spray is delivered against the goggles or other object to be cleaned which is held by hand in front of the nozzle.

The compressed air is derived from any suitable source of supply by means of a conduit including the inlet pipe S2 which extends upwardly into the lower part of the apparatus chamber 2G adjacent to its rear wall I0, an intermediate horizontal pipe "i3 extending forwardly from the inlet pipe and containing a regulating Valve, a vertical delivery pipe 44 extending upwardly from the intermediate pipe 43 and containing a hand operated controlling valve, and a tubular fitting 45 connecting the upper end of the delivery pipe 44 with the air delivery passage 31 of the atomizer.

The regulating valve may be variously constructed and may, as shown in Figs. and 8, consist of a valve body 46 forming part of the piping d3 and having a port d1 and a valve stem 4S having a conical needle point 49 movable toward and from a conical seat 5B across the port d1 for varying the effective area of the same, a screw connection 5l between the valve stem and the valve body, and a handle at the outer end of the valve stem for turning the same into the desired adjusted position.

The hand operated control Valve may also be of any desi-red construction, that shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings being satisfactory and comprising a tubular valve body 53 forming part of the air delivery pipe 44 and having a horizontal valve chamber 5d, inlet and voutlet ports 55, 5 5 connecting opposite ends of this Valve chamber with the parts of the pipe d and a Valve seat 51 formed in the valve. chamber between its ports, and a valvey stem 58 slidable axially in the valve chamber and provided at itsinner endfwitha valve closure 59 which is movable toward and from the valve seat 51, a plunger arranged on the front part of the valve stem and slidable in the front part oi the valve chamber, and a lingerpiece or button 5l which is arranged on the outer or front end of the valve stem and which is arranged within` the case opening 33 so as to be accessible from the outer front side of the case. in the closed position of the controlling valve its closure member 59 engages the seat 51 and shuts cilc the flow of air through this valve, as shown. in this position of this valve the pressure of the air against the rear side of the closure member holds the same in its closed position. When it is desired to deliver compressed air to the liquid spray nozzle the operator presses inwardly against the iingerpiece 6l so as to shift the closure member 59 out of engagement of the seat 51 and into a position in rear of the inlet port 55, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. '7, whereby compressed air is permitted to ilow from the .supply source, through the inlet and outlet ports 55,v 56 to the nozzle. Upon relieving the inward pressure against the Valve stem this lvalve will be moved forwardly. automatically into a closed position by the pressure of the air against the plunger 6B, and held there bythe pressure of the air against the back of the closure member 59.

Cleaning liquid is withdrawn from the-container 3e and carried to the liquid inletdl of the atomizer by a suction pipe which isV so constructed that some of the liquid is trapped therein at a point between this container and the atomizer and thus enables a cleaning spray to be formed more rapidly by the atomizer than would be possible if the initia1 part of the liquid had to be started from the container every time the atom izer is operated.

This is preferably accomplished by constructing the liquid suction pipe so as to form an upright inlet leg t2 which projects downwardly through the open upper end of the liquid container and terminates with its open lower inlet end adjacent tothe bottom of this container so as to be submerged in the liquid therein, a comparatively long trap loop 63 having the upper end of one of its vertical legs connected with the upper-.end .cf the inlet. leg G2, and a comparatively short trap loop @d `having one of its vertical legs connected with the other vertical leg` of the long loop while the other vertical leg of the auX- iliary loop is connected with the liquid inlet 4I of the atomizer, as shown in Figs. 34, 5 and 6. In this manner the long loop 63 forms a liquid trap which holds a considerable amount of liquid regardless of the depth of the liquid in the con.- tainer and the short loop 615 forms a liquid trap which holds a comparatively small amount of I liquid close to the atornizer.I

When operating this apparatus by pressing inwardly on the air controlling valve and opening the latter, the suction eiect producedV in the nozzle by the compressed air causes cleaning liquid to be drawn by the suction pipe from the container which cleaning liquid rst lls the inlet leg 52, then the long loop 63, then the short loop 64 and then flows through the atomizer and: is discharged therefrom inthe form of a spray by the action of the compressed air. Upondiscontinuingthe inward pressure on the air controlling valve the latter closes, wherebywithdrawal of liquid from the container and discharge of liquid spray from the atomizer is arrested, but a comparatively large amount of cleaning liquid is trapped in the long loop 63 and-relatively, small amount of fluid is trapped in the short loop 64,.

As a consequence the short loop always presents a sufficient quantity of cleaning liquid in readiness close to the atomizer which enables the latter to start the projection of a spray of atomized liquid the instant that the compressed air control valve is opened by the operator. This avoids delay in the use of this apparatus which is very important, especially in large establishments employing many operators whose work requires frequent cleaning of their goggles in order to enable them to work expeditiously and with safety.

By employing the long loop replenishment of the short loop is promptly effected as required regardless of the depth of the liquid in the main container 3e, When the quantity of cleaning liquid in the container runs low or becomes exhausted, the same can be conveniently refilled by rst withdrawing the bottom section or shelf l5 from underneath the container, after which the latter can be lowered and disengaged from that part of the suction pipe which normally projects downwardly into the same. After the container has been refilled with a supply of cleaning liquid the same may be reassembled with the suction pipe by operating the parts reversely to the manner of disassembling the same.

After the goggles or other article to be cleaned has received a spray of cleaning Solution in the manner described the operator wipes the same with a napkin taken from the storage chamber 22 through the opening 25 in its top and after the napkin has served this purpose the same is deposited in the waste chamber 24 through its side opening 25.

By mounting the liquid container on a removable section l5 of the bottom or iioor of the case, it is possible to conveniently apply the container to the inlet part of the suction pipe and remove the same therefrom without making. the case unduly high, as would otherwise be necessary if the bottom section l5 were stationary.

As a whole this dispensing apparatus is very compact in construction, it can be readily installed where only a limited space is available, and the same can be easily maintained in operative condition.

I claim as my invention:

A dispensing apparatus, comprising a liquid spraying nozzle, a container adapted to hold a cleaning liquid, and a suction pipe having an inlet adapted to receive liquid from said container, an outlet from which liquid is delivered to said nozzle, Aa long loop forming a main liquid. trap oi' large capacity adjacent to said inlet, and a short loop forming an auxiliary trap of small capacity adjacent to said nozzle, the inlet and the main liquid trap of said pipe being arranged within said container and the auxiliary trap of the pipe being arranged above the container and thus producing a compact organization of these members.

HAROLD L. HAGEN. 

